A Downtown Tradition: Pershing Square's Holiday Ice Rink Adds More Events

Long-time readers of this site know how much we look forward to the downtown ice skating rink in Pershing Square. It's where I proposed to Maria many years ago, and where the Blogger Kids now enjoy learning to skate as well. Now in its 21st year, the rink once known as "Downtown on Ice" now goes by the "Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square" moniker -- but it otherwise looks exactly like it did all those years ago.

The organizers note that at 7,200 square feet, it is the city’s largest outdoor rink. Here are a few events coming to the Holiday Ice Rink this year:

Every Wednesday throughout the ice rink season will be dedicated to Wicked and named Wicked Wednesdays. Ice rink lights will be predominantly green and every third song played will be from Wicked cast album during the 7pm, 8:30pm and 10pm (if applicable) sessions.

Special Bai Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square events include DJ Spotlight every Thursday with DJ Howly (except Thanksgiving); Learn to Curl (November 17, December 15 and January 12); and Silent Skate Party (November 28 and December 19).

Two Pershing Square events will also take place during this season – Winter Tramp/Gay Proud (December 1) and Winter Holiday Festival (December 8-9).

When we visited on Sunday morning, the crowd was light -- perfect time to hit the ice. I usually prefer going at night, however, as there's something magical about skating under the illuminated skyscrapers, and with twinkling Christmas lights all around.

The Blogger Kids not only look forward to the skating, but they thrill at the free bottles of beverages from rink sponsor Bai.

Each session is an hour. Here are the current times:

Thursday, November 15 – Saturday, December 15
11:30AM – 9:30PM Monday through Thursday
11:30AM – 11:00PM Friday
10:00AM – 11:00PM Saturday
10:00AM – 9:30PM Sunday

Sunday, December 16 – Sunday, December 30
10:00AM – 11:00PM Daily

Monday, December 24
10:00AM – 8:00PM

Tuesday, December 25
11:30AM – 9:30PM

Monday, December 31
10:00AM – 11:00PM

Tuesday, January 1
10:00AM – 11:00PM

Wednesday, January 2 – Monday, January 21
11:30AM – 9:30PM Monday through Thursday
11:30AM – 11:00PM Friday
10:00AM – 11:00PM Saturday
10:00AM – 9:30PM Sunday

General admission is $9, while skate rental is $5. There are also little penguin skate helpers, for the kids, at another $6.

While in Pershing Square, take a photo next to the large tree...

... or under the unusual murals, like The Beatles wishing you a Happy Christmas.

And then, of course, to stay in the festive mood, cross the street and visit the Biltmore Hotel, which is also decked out for the holidays. Ho ho ho!

International Pillow Fight Day: Feathers Fly in Downtown LA's Pershing Square

You have no idea how disappointed I am in realizing I missed International Pillow Fight Day in downtown Los Angeles. But luckily our old pal the Atwater Village Newbie was there on April 2 and documented it with some great shots, above and below. See 'em all here!

There's always next year. A few more shots from the AVN:

Christopher Hawthorne: Los Angeles' Architectural And Urban-Planning Failures

Pershing Square in more glorious times

L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne nailed it in Sunday's paper: Although Los Angeles is home to some fantastic architecture and civic innovations, those things are overshadowed by all the things that we've gotten wrong. "Los Angeles has become as well known for its high-profile architectural and urban-planning failures — for the buildings, institutions and public spaces we can't seem to get right — as for its innovations or breakthroughs," he writes.

L.A.'s civic mistakes are legion and noticeable from the moment you fly into the city and walk through our tragically horrendous international airport. LAX is an embarrassing travesty. As is our river. And a lot more.

A few choice excerpts from his must-read piece:

As a gateway to the city, Los Angeles International Airport could hardly be more dispiriting. A jumble of mismatched, outdated terminals, LAX gives visitors a resounding first impression of civic dysfunction.

The city, which owns the airport, has tried several times to remake LAX. The latest attempt is a master plan by Fentress Architects, which is also designing the nearly $2-billion Tom Bradley International Terminal.

But the truth is that the airport's biggest liability is not simply architectural. Somehow Los Angeles built a major rail route, the Green Line, past LAX 20 years ago without adding a stop at the airport.

And guess what? We are about to build another light-rail route — this time the $1.7-billion Crenshaw Line — near the airport and make precisely the same mistake again.

[snip]

Since 32 of the river's 51 miles are within the L.A. city limits, the mayor has a powerful say over its future. The goal should not be to take the river back to some idyllic, preindustrial past. Instead we should look for a few places where we can crack open its hard shell and interact with it in new ways.

A number of intriguing ideas have already emerged, building on advocacy by the Friends of the Los Angeles River and a master plan the City Council adopted in 2007. Among the most promising is a proposal by landscape architect Mia Lehrer and three architecture firms for the so-called Piggyback Yard, a 125-acre site across the river from Union Station.

It would add walking and biking paths along newly green riverbanks, as well as a park with soccer fields and a botanical garden. It would also act as a powerful pilot project, helping the public see the river's larger potential.

Pushing landowner Union Pacific to sell or make the site available to the city should be high on the next mayor's agenda.

[snip]

No such defense can be made of the city's repeated missteps at Pershing Square. The 5-acre park in the heart of downtown is manageably small and self-contained. It is also a perfectly depressing symbol of L.A.'s neglected public realm.

The square was once the most vibrant public space in Los Angeles. The decision to build a parking garage beneath it in the 1950s added entry and exit ramps that cut the square off from the sidewalks around it. A 1993 redesign somehow made that sense of disconnection worse.

Now entertainment giant AEG, the company that brought us L.A. Live, owns the Staples Center and wants to build a pro football stadium downtown, has pledged $700,000 in seed money to reimagine Pershing Square. City Councilmember Jose Huizar, who represents much of downtown, has said that when it comes to a redesign, "everything is on the table."

Here's one thing that shouldn't be: AEG's direct involvement in the revamp, given its track record of sleekly generic architecture and design.

Hawthorne also discusses the frustration of how we're still struggling to build a subway to the sea. And he chastizes the city for spending so much time, money and energy on a flawed attempt to turn Grand Avenue into something it's not.

The Holidays Are Here: Downtown On Ice Returns This Week

Another sure sign that the holidays are fast approaching: One of our favorite annual traditions, Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice, opens for the season on Thursday, November 15. A few weekends ago we watched as workers began constructing the ice rink (above); by this week it will look like the below pic. Head to the rink for the final session of the day (9pm to 10pm), when the crowds are smaller and the lights of the surrounding city skyscrapers (not to mention the twinkling Christmas lights) surround you in the nighttime sky. Then go grab a drink on the roof at nearby Perch. I dare you not to be in a festive mood after that.

FREE L.A.: Pershing Square's Winter Festival This Saturday

I still find that downtown, particularly around Pershing Square and the Biltmore Hotel, gets me in the holiday spirit this time of year. And if you've got the kids in tow, there's no better time than this Saturday to head down, for the free annual Winter Holiday Festival.

The event, 11:00am to 7:00pm, takes place at Pershing Square and includes a visit from Santa: "Pershing Square is transformed into a winter wonderland with free holiday activities like tons of snow, a train ride, make & take children’s crafts, puppet shows, community youth performances, memento photos, and more. Santa’s emporium features stocking stuffers and tasty holiday treats for purchase."

While you're down there, make sure to spend some time at the Biltmore and Grand Central Market, which is also decorated for the season. And, of course, there's the outdoor skating at Downtown on Ice ($6 for skating and $2 for skate rentals).

FREE L.A.: Snoopy Ice Show in Pershing Square

Downtown on Ice

As we mentioned in the blog post below (and our flurry of posts over the years), we love the Downtown on Ice skating rink in Pershing Square. Next Tuesday, the rink goes extra kid-friendly as the cast of Knotts Berry Farm's "It's Christmas Snoopy" ice revue does a free show.

Here are some details:

With festive music and colorful costumes, the special “mini” showcase presentation features the famous skating beagle and his friends as they look for the true meaning of Christmas. “It’s Christmas, Snoopy!” premieres at Knott’s “Merry” Farm with performances at select times from November 24, 2011 through January 1, 2012.

Free to the public, the outdoor showcase is part of a community outreach program in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Knott's Berry Farm. Immediately following the performance, Snoopy and friends will be available for a meet & greet with fans.

The free show takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. Then stay around to skate: Admission is just $6, plus $2 for skate rental.

Ten Years Ago: A Thanksgiving Eve Engagement

Yes, it was 10 years ago on the night before Thanksgiving that I dropped down and asked Maria to marry me... in the center of the ice rink at Pershing Square. In hindsite, a cheesy move. (My original plan was to find a historic theatre on Broadway and see about putting my proposal on the marquee. But hey, I was young!)

A few notes: No, despite my media whorish-ness, I didn't call the news media. I planned it out with the Pershing Square "Downtown on Ice" rink, and they called around -- managing to get both KNBC and KTLA out there! (I assume both stations were looking for quick, simple feel good news kickers the night before Thanksgiving, when things are pretty quiet.)

And also: I go to experience the laziness of local TV journalism first hand. No one ever came up to me to get any sort of information, so they just made things up. KTLA said Maria and I met at the rink -- not true. KNBC went a step further and called me an "L.A. Kings fan." Whaa? Because we were ice skating?

It didn't go off without a hitch. I had given the rink a CD of two songs to play. But when the rink cleared at 9, I waited for my musical cue. Nothing. I wrote about out engagement back in 2003:

Then it hit 9 p.m.--time for the rink to close for the evening. As they told everyone to clear the ice, I asked Maria if we could get our photo taken on the ice. So I gave my camera to one of the workers, and we went to the middle of the ice. And I waited for the music.

And waited.

The guy kept taking our picture and radioing to his bosses, "What's going on? Where's the music?"

He told us to go ahead and skate a few laps. I knew something was wrong, but Maria was just confused.

I made up something on the spot: "Oh, he probably just feels bad that all of those little kids were giving us trouble on the ice all night, and wanted you to skate a few rounds when no one was around." Whew, she bought it.

Finally, though, I couldn't wait for the music any longer. The cameras were on us. I took her back to the middle of the rink and dropped to one knee, while pulling out the ring.

The ring, sadly, is no longer with us. But that's a depressing story for another day.

Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice Returns Next Wednesday

It's back! One of our favorite L.A. holiday traditions, the Pershing Square "Downtown on Ice" outdoor skating rink, is back for its 14th season starting next Wednesday, November 17.

The rink is $6 for admission and another $2 for skate rental, and is open every day -- including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day -- throug January 16, 2012. More info:

A medley of FREE community events keep you in the holiday spirit with the Winter Holiday Festival (with Santa and his “live” reindeer, snow, and make & take crafts), the “12 Nights of Christmas” concert series, Menorah Lighting, Kwanzaa Celebration, “It’s Christmas, Snoopy” showcase, and more.

Centrally located in the heart of the City of Angels at the Pershing Square Metro stop, the rink is easily accessible by car, bus or Metro. A partnership with Metro and Montebello bus lines allows riders to receive a $1 discount on skating sessions. Underground parking is discounted with validation.

DOWNTOWN ON ICE (Pershing Square) 532 South Olive
General Schedule: November 17, 2011 – January 16, 2012
Monday – Thursday: 12:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.
Friday – Sunday: 10:00a.m. to 10:00p.m.
Extended Holiday Hours: December 19 - January 2 from 10:00a.m. to 10:00p.m. daily
Special hours: Noon to 10:00pm on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Martin Luther King day

Los Angeles Ad Town: Puppets in Pershing Square Edition

Ventriloquist and his dummy perform on the steps of downtown's Pershing Square, while a mime performs in the background.

Craziest Los Angeles: Ad Town yet? The spot is for Volkswagen. Here's another image from the ad, with the downtown skyline in the background:

Reminder: Downtown On Ice Closes This Monday

Don't forget, one of our favorite L.A. attractions, the annual Downtown on Ice outdoor skating rink in Pershing Square, closes after this holiday weekend.

As it comes to a close, Downtown on Ice continues to offer up a free concert series next to the rink. Here's the remaining schedule:

January 14 at 8:00pm: Candy O (Tribute to The Cars)
*January 16 at 2:00pm: Hank Deluxe & The Elbow Benders (Swing Salsa Blues)
*January 16 at 7:00pm: Escape (Tribute to Journey)
*January 17 at 12:00pm: Urban Dread

Downtown on Ice is open daily until 10 p.m. Skating is just $6 for a session and $2 for skate rental.

Christmas in Los Angeles: Our Traditions

No snow? No problem. We'll be dreaming of a White Christmas for a long time to come here in L.A., but it doesn't matter: There are plenty of places to find Christmas in L.A., and we try to make the most of it every year.

The snow is here, of course -- but safely ensconced above 7,000 feet. Back down here, the weather cooperated -- making for a sunny, mild Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (The rain returned for a visit on Christmas night, but we were cozily cooped up back at home by then.)

Christmas Eve in Downtown L.A. has become an annual tradition for us, starting with the 4 p.m. family mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Yes, the "Taj Mahony," decked out for Christmas, offers up a Christmas Eve mass that's perfect for the little ones: Not too long, and with a homily, music and prayers geared toward the little ones.

After mass, it's a quick walk across the street to the Music Center, to catch the 51st Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration. The annual free event, featuring choirs, dancers, bands and more, is one of L.A.'s great Christmas staples.

This year's event was cut by half (from six hours to three) due to budget cuts. That turned out to be serendipitous for us. Last year, the line was too long for us to try to get inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to catch the show.

But this year, we got to the Music Center at 5:30 -- and with the show about to end, the standby line was minimal. We managed to get inside in time to see the two final acts: the Palmdale High School Choral Union and Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez, which closed the show. After that, the crowd sang along to "Silent Night," and then we were back in the Music Center plaza.

On Christmas day, we were back downtown for one of our favorite L.A. holiday attractions: Downtown on Ice in Pershing Square. The ice rink was crowded, yet not too bad. It was kind of nice to be there with a cross section of Los Angeles, all skating under the shadow of downtown's skyscrapers at dusk.

After our hour-long ice skating session, we dashed across the street to check out the Biltmore hotel, dressed up for the season.

Pics from our Christmas in Los Angeles:


Cathedral entrance.


Art exhibit at the cathedral.


Exiting the cathedral.


Cardinal Mahony's final Christmas before his February retirement.


Nativity scene at the Our Lady Queen of the Angels cathedral.


Outside the Music Center and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as the L.A. County Holiday Celebration winds down.


It's a real-life 'Glee': Palmdale High School Choral Union performs at the L.A. County Holiday Celebration.


At the L.A. County Holiday Celebration; final act, Mariachi Sol de Mexico (led by Jose Hernandez), above.


Inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.


Christmas tree at the Music Center.


Ice skating at Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice.


More ice skating at Downtown on Ice.


Biltmore lobby Christmas tree.


Blogger Kid (newly 6!) and Blogger Baby 2.0 stroll down the Biltmore's main corridor.


Gingerbread houses at the Biltmore.


Staircase at the Biltmore.

Celebrate the Holidays this Weekend in Downtown

Anyone who tells you the holidays don't feel as real in Los Angeles hasn't visited downtown this time of year.

This weekend, downtown's Pershing Square and Grand Central Market are celebrating the holidays with two very kid-friendly events. I recommend hitting them both on Saturday to get in the mood.



First up, the Grand Central Market's "Christmas for the Kids" Event takes place this Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Not only is the market decked out for the holidays, but free pictures with Santa will be taken. Go grab a tamale at one of the stands.



Then, head over to Pershing Square for its annual Winter Holiday Festival.

The event takes place on Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12, from noon to 6 p.m. Details:

The second weekend in December Downtown On Ice present the Winter Holiday Festival a free fun weekend including a Snow Fun Zone, Make & Take Holiday Crafts, a Holiday Ornament Grove, and Free Entertainment.

Food is available for purchase on site. Secured validated parking with skate receipt is available in the Pershing Square underground garage or take the Metro Red Line to the 5th Street Pershing Square stop for quick no traffic travel.

Of course, while there, you should also ice skate at Downtown on Ice.



Plus, across from Pershing Square, the Biltmore Hotel is always dressed up for the holidays as well.

Coming to Downtown This Holiday Season: Competing Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks

Oh, crass, crass AEG. I shoulda known they would yank their support for Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice once L.A. Live opened.

The Downtown News has confirmed that the L.A. Kings, which has sponsored the holiday tradition for 10 years, has yanked its support in order to sponsor a new outdoor rink at L.A. Live.

The good news is the city plans to continue with Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice (where Maria and I got engaged -- so yes, we're a bit sentimental about it) this summer, even without the Kings' support. More:

The Los Angeles Kings this year are dropping their sponsorship of the Downtown On Ice rink at Pershing Square after a decade-long partnership. Instead, the team will sponsor a new, temporary rink at L.A. Live, Kings Vice President of Communications Michael Altieri told Los Angeles Downtown News.

“We’ve had 10 great years, but we now have an opportunity with L.A. Live to establish what we feel will be a premier ice rink in the same vein as Rockefeller Center in New York,” said Altieri. “It’s such a great location.”

The new rink, he said, will be set up at Nokia Plaza, the open courtyard inside L.A. Live’s main entrance off Olympic Boulevard. The rink will open in late November and run into January, Altieri said, though he was not able to provide exact dates.

The Pershing Square rink will run from Nov. 19-Jan. 19 without the Kings, regardless of whether the Department of Recreation and Parks can find a replacement sponsor, said Pershing Square Facility Manager Ann Vollmer.

Losing the Kings’ sponsorship will cost the city approximately $100,000, said L.A. Parks Foundation Executive Director Judith Kieffer, who is working on finding a corporate sponsor for the rink.

Still, the lunchtime and evening concerts that have livened up Downtown On Ice in previous years will go on this year, Vollmer said.

To me, there's not even a contest. Skating at night under the lights of the city skyscrapers at Downtown on Ice easily beats skating under a giant "NOKIA" sign and ads at L.A. Live.

Quick-Thinking "Downtown on Ice" Employee Saves the Day

We finally made it back to the Pershing Square's "Downtown on Ice" rink -- the site of our engagement -- last week for some nighttime ice skating.

Well, Evan and I did. Maria was more than happy to watch. The Blogger Preschooler, meanwhile, seems to be getting the hang of it. Being so low to the ground probably helped.

We almost didn't make it inside -- even though it was a Tuesday night, and we were there for the final skate of the evening (at 9 p.m.), the rink was sold out. The guy at the booth said ticket sales wouldn't resume until people started turning in their skates, feeing up space on the ice.

I get it -- the Pershing Square rink is tiny (it is outdoors in Southern California, after all, and a big rink couldn't be sustained). And apparently, with schools out, the crowds were huge all week.

I told Evan the news. The disappointment on his face was heartbreaking. I then asked the guy in the booth whether he'd put us on a waiitng list. "I've never done this before," the guy said, as he wrote down the number "2" on a slip of paper (apparently one other person was in front of us). Sure enough, before long people started turning in their skates... and we were able to join in.

"Downtown on Ice" continues through Jan. 19.

Downtown on Ice Returns This Thursday

It's one of our favorite L.A. holiday traditions: Pershing Square's annual "Downtown on Ice" skating rink. Yep, we're biased: It's where Maria and I got engaged in 2001.

Last year, Evan enjoyed the rink as well -- Daddy, of course, assisted. This year, we drove by Pershing Square this weekend and saw the rink under construction, and now the Blogger Preschooler can't wait to return. The good news: The rink opens on Thursday, Nov. 20, and will continue operating through January 19.

Prices: $6 for a one-hour session, and $2 skate rentals. A word of advice: Go really early, or really late to avoid the crowds. I love hitting the last session of the day -- there's something about skating under the L.A. downtown skyline that provokes holiday cheer.

Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90013

Mark Your Calendar: It's An End-of-the-Line Weekend

There must be something about this weekend: It's your last chance to catch, see or do several things in Los Angeles. It's almost as if the city is doing a post-holiday clean up. (And taking advantage of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to officially wrap things up.)

To boot:

Downtown on Ice finishes up its annual Pershing Square run on Jan. 21. I still haven't gone this year, so hopefully you'll see me down there one night this weekend.

The Los Angeles Central Library's Julius Shulman's Los Angeles photo exhibit closes on Sunday. (Although, one reader notes via the L.A. Public Library site that it may have been extended a week. But just to be safe, I'd hit it this weekend.)

Virgin Megastore's Sunset location closes its doors for good on Sunday. (See the post below for more details.)

It's your last chance to see the final remaining piece of the Ambassador Hotel. The chunk of the Cocoanut Grove that was to be preserved is instead slated to be demolished on Tuesday.

So go out there and see your ever-changing city this weekend!

Downtown With the Holidays

It was quite easy to get into the holiday spirit this Saturday in Downtown L.A. After parking at the Central Library -- one of the best deals in downtown, just $1 ALL DAY with Library validation (just flash your City of L.A. library card -- you do have one, right?!) -- we walked down to the Biltmore Hotel, where we took in the Christmas tree in the lobby, Blogger Toddler was mesmerized by the life-sized gingerbread house (including free cookies) and we took pics of the beautiful old hotel decorated for season.



From there, we hit the Winter Holiday Festival in Pershing Square, where Maria and I took turns sliding down a hill of snow with Evan (who also got a chance to throw a snowball or two -- under the hot sun, no less!). The festival also included free family photos in front of a holiday backdrop; a Christmas tree decorating contest; and even a free sprig of mistletoe. We decided to skip the puppet show, in order to then head to...



Grand Central Market. Where another holiday festival included treats for the kids, and a visit with Santa. Blogger Toddler had fallen asleep; as a result, we took a rather sad pic with Santa featuring a sleeping Evan. When the BT woke up, we stood in line for a do-over. Santa was game, and the Blogger Toddler asked him once again for the same thing: He wants a shopping cart this Christmas.

More pics from our holiday Saturday in Downtown L.A.:


Snow in Los Angeles


Free mistletoe


Tree decorating contest


Puppets


Grand Central Market


Santa Claus


Life-size Gingerbread house at the Biltmore

Speaking of downtown, Darleene suggested a Blog-LA-Sphere outing at the Pershing Square ice rink... is there interest out there? UPDATE: Looks like Blogdowntown beat us to it! Bloggers on Ice takes place on Dec. 17.